Saturday, April 14, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Episode "I Have No Idea" (Or, Still Crazy After All of These Weeks - An Ode to Paul Simon)
I'm back and I honestly don't know why. I missed last week's episode and only caught the re-run of this week's episode because my son was sick and sleeping in my bed on Sunday night, which required me to sleep in his room which has no TV (don't tell my wife that I slept better than I have in years....).
Anyway, having watched this week's episode of "The Apprentice," I now have the ability to make a few comments, such as:
1. Angela should not have been fired. For Christ's sake, how long does Trump plan on keeping Heidi around? She has not contributed ANYTHING since the first few tasks, and, since then, her team has consistently sucked and lost. Axe that witch ASAP, Trump.
2. I can't believe that I give a rat's ass, but Nicole was wrong to chastise Tim for not sticking up for her to stay on Team Arrow. It was James' call, and he made it. Live with it and stop trying to "f" up your relationship. Enough with the drama.
3. Anyone have a friggin clue what attributes Stephanie brings to her team? I don't. She has, more than anyone left, flown totally under the radar and, thus, does not deserve to win this thing. With Marisa gone, I'm rooting for Tim, Kristine or Frankie to take it.
4. Thank you DT for bringing Ivanka back. Man o' Man!
Finally, it's time for me to spew some more crap at NBC, Burnett and Trump. In my opinion, they have opened themselves up to a fraudulent inducement lawsuit by the candidates, and here is why: Lard-ass Derek has ADMITTED on his website that he was RECRUITED by Burnett to be on the show. Don't believe me? Check this out: http://apprenticederek.blogspot.com/
Now, the $50,000 question is: Was Princess Heidi recruited as well, or did she try out? I have my suspicions, but if you have any dirt on this issue, please let me know.....
Strut, Out!
Anyway, having watched this week's episode of "The Apprentice," I now have the ability to make a few comments, such as:
1. Angela should not have been fired. For Christ's sake, how long does Trump plan on keeping Heidi around? She has not contributed ANYTHING since the first few tasks, and, since then, her team has consistently sucked and lost. Axe that witch ASAP, Trump.
2. I can't believe that I give a rat's ass, but Nicole was wrong to chastise Tim for not sticking up for her to stay on Team Arrow. It was James' call, and he made it. Live with it and stop trying to "f" up your relationship. Enough with the drama.
3. Anyone have a friggin clue what attributes Stephanie brings to her team? I don't. She has, more than anyone left, flown totally under the radar and, thus, does not deserve to win this thing. With Marisa gone, I'm rooting for Tim, Kristine or Frankie to take it.
4. Thank you DT for bringing Ivanka back. Man o' Man!
Finally, it's time for me to spew some more crap at NBC, Burnett and Trump. In my opinion, they have opened themselves up to a fraudulent inducement lawsuit by the candidates, and here is why: Lard-ass Derek has ADMITTED on his website that he was RECRUITED by Burnett to be on the show. Don't believe me? Check this out: http://apprenticederek.blogspot.com/
Now, the $50,000 question is: Was Princess Heidi recruited as well, or did she try out? I have my suspicions, but if you have any dirt on this issue, please let me know.....
Strut, Out!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Episode 6 Recap (or How I Stopped Enjoying "The Apprentice" and Learned to Love Ivanka Trump)
NOTE TO READER: If you've never seen Stanley Kubrick's brilliant "Dr. Stangelove" with Peter Sellers, you will not understand the title of this Post. Shame on you....
Episode 6 of "The Apprentice: Los Angeles" was on last night from 9-10 pm (switches to 10-11 pm in two weeks). I watched with a significant amount of skepticism because the show has just gotten so boring (i.e., it clearly jumped the shark this year).
Anyway, this was a much better outing than last week's horrendous "honey" episode. Setting up a mall kiosk for Priceline.com (full disclosure: Priceline is a defendant in one of my consumer fraud cases) was a good task for a show like this. The candidates got to actually show off their business acumen (or lack thereof).
Kinetic is self-destructing right before our eyes. The goal of each member of the team is to gang-up on one person to get them fired. That's about it. I used to think the ringleader was Heidi, but not anymore. It's Derek, without a doubt. The guy simply has no character. I cringed when one of the Priceline execs told Trump that Derek did a great job for Kinetic. Oh well, it shouldn't matter in the end. Characterless people inevitably don't fare well in life, and I predict that Derek will get his just desserts sooner rather than later. But, in this episode, Derek was able to pull the rest of his team together to gang up on Aimee in the Boardroom, who has shown nothing but poise and spark since Day One (even in Marisa's boardroom - sorry, Maris). So, in the end, Trump fired Aimee for the same reason he fired Marisa - because the rest of her team blamed everything on her. Aimee's closing remarks in the limo were (no pun intended) priceless. She kicked ass.
Arrow, on the other hand, has remained an exciting team to watch. They are smart, energentic, open-minded, and fun. They want to win and don't try to get a leg up on each other just in case they lose and have to face Trump in the boardroom. Whether Surya was a good project manager is an open question for me. He took Trump's concerns about him from the prior boardroom too much to heart and ended up becoming somewhat of an anal retentive, micro-managing nit-pick as a PM. Relax, Surya. You're just pissing off your teammates. I predict that Arrow will gang up on Surya once they lose again, and Trump will boot him. I'm just not sure when Arrow will lose, because Kinetic is a mess.
Finally, I threw up in my mouth when not once, but twice, Kinetic people criticized Aimee for not being more like "Heidi the Perfect." Blech! Anyone who has watched the show from the beginning knows that Kinetic won because of other people, not Heidi. Do we really think Kinetic would have won the swimsuit design task if Heidi's idea to nix Marisa's bikini was accepted? The question is whether Trump will continue to let Heidi slide by each time Kinetic loses? I sure hope not.
Anywho, two weeks until the next episode. I'm not sad about it. I'm glad Marisa isn't on this piss-poor show anymore.
Peace, out.
Stu
P.S. If you really want to watch good TV, check out "Heroes" (http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/), "Lost" (http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/index), and "24" (http://www.fox.com/24/). Good stuff.
Episode 6 of "The Apprentice: Los Angeles" was on last night from 9-10 pm (switches to 10-11 pm in two weeks). I watched with a significant amount of skepticism because the show has just gotten so boring (i.e., it clearly jumped the shark this year).
Anyway, this was a much better outing than last week's horrendous "honey" episode. Setting up a mall kiosk for Priceline.com (full disclosure: Priceline is a defendant in one of my consumer fraud cases) was a good task for a show like this. The candidates got to actually show off their business acumen (or lack thereof).
Kinetic is self-destructing right before our eyes. The goal of each member of the team is to gang-up on one person to get them fired. That's about it. I used to think the ringleader was Heidi, but not anymore. It's Derek, without a doubt. The guy simply has no character. I cringed when one of the Priceline execs told Trump that Derek did a great job for Kinetic. Oh well, it shouldn't matter in the end. Characterless people inevitably don't fare well in life, and I predict that Derek will get his just desserts sooner rather than later. But, in this episode, Derek was able to pull the rest of his team together to gang up on Aimee in the Boardroom, who has shown nothing but poise and spark since Day One (even in Marisa's boardroom - sorry, Maris). So, in the end, Trump fired Aimee for the same reason he fired Marisa - because the rest of her team blamed everything on her. Aimee's closing remarks in the limo were (no pun intended) priceless. She kicked ass.
Arrow, on the other hand, has remained an exciting team to watch. They are smart, energentic, open-minded, and fun. They want to win and don't try to get a leg up on each other just in case they lose and have to face Trump in the boardroom. Whether Surya was a good project manager is an open question for me. He took Trump's concerns about him from the prior boardroom too much to heart and ended up becoming somewhat of an anal retentive, micro-managing nit-pick as a PM. Relax, Surya. You're just pissing off your teammates. I predict that Arrow will gang up on Surya once they lose again, and Trump will boot him. I'm just not sure when Arrow will lose, because Kinetic is a mess.
Finally, I threw up in my mouth when not once, but twice, Kinetic people criticized Aimee for not being more like "Heidi the Perfect." Blech! Anyone who has watched the show from the beginning knows that Kinetic won because of other people, not Heidi. Do we really think Kinetic would have won the swimsuit design task if Heidi's idea to nix Marisa's bikini was accepted? The question is whether Trump will continue to let Heidi slide by each time Kinetic loses? I sure hope not.
Anywho, two weeks until the next episode. I'm not sad about it. I'm glad Marisa isn't on this piss-poor show anymore.
Peace, out.
Stu
P.S. If you really want to watch good TV, check out "Heroes" (http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/), "Lost" (http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/index), and "24" (http://www.fox.com/24/). Good stuff.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Marisa (and Stu) in Boca Raton News
‘Apprentice’ Marisa DeMato of Boca ‘fired’ by Donald Trump
Published Sunday, February 18, 2007
by By Skip Sheffield
If you’re going to be fired, you might as well do in a grand way.
Marisa DeMato was fired by no less than Donald Trump Jan. 28 on the fourth episode of NBC-TV’s nationally broadcast Sunday night series, “The Apprentice.” DeMato, 28, took the experience calmly and unflinching, with dignity intact.
“The Kinetic team was a great team,” she said recently, relaxing at Sanborn Square in Boca Raton. “We had sales, marketing, entertainment industry and lawyers. We got to stay in a beautiful mansion on Mulholland Drive that had a spectacular view of Los Angeles. I thought I came up with a good idea with the chicken suit, but Heidi shot it down. I think she had a real problem with me. I know I’m a very strong person. I could see it coming.”
“It” is Donald Trump’s stern declaration, “You’re fired!”
Weep not for Marisa DeMato. She already has a good day job as a lawyer at the Boca Raton office of Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins. She has her own Web site (MarisaDeMato.com) and her friend and fellow lawyer Stuart Davidson has created a Marisa DeMato blog on Blogspot.com.
Nicknamed “The Politico” on “The Apprentice,” DeMato makes no bones about having political ambitions.“
I am still in contact with NBC,” she confirms. “And they will be flying me back to California for the finale. Everyone on the show has an agenda. I was thrilled when they nicknamed me `The Politico’ because I do have political aspirations.”
DeMato majored in political science at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, and while an undergraduate she served as an intern for U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler. When she was in law school at the University of Baltimore, she was a legal intern in the office of the attorney general of Maryland.
Like all “Apprentice” contestants, DeMato was selected at a casting call. In her case, it was Tampa in March of last year. When DeMato made the first cut, she returned for a second round in Tampa.
Excitement was mounting in her law office as she made that cut and was invited to fly to California to meet Trump himself.“
For the first time, Donald Trump personally selected each of the candidates,” she revealed. “We didn’t know we were going to meet him. He is very involved in the California production.” So are Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son Donald, Jr.“
I got along very well with Ivanka,” she reported. “I admire Donald Jr. He is very serious and has a strong work ethic, like his dad.”
Despite her rapport with the Trumps, DeMato ran afoul of another alpha female, Kinetic team captain Heidi Androl. Both teams were charged with promoting a new dish at a California chicken restaurant chain called El Pollo Loco. Whichever team made the most money in one day would be declared winner.
DeMato said she wanted to call it the “Bravado Bowl” but was shot down in favor of “Paradise Pollo Bowl.”
Another of DeMato’s ideas was to have someone dress up in a chicken suit as the chain’s mascot to drum up business on the street. Heidi rejected the idea, but DeMato says there is more to it than meets the eye.“
What they didn’t show in the final edit was that the Arrow team used the chicken suit as part of its promotion. If they had showed that, I would have been vindicated.”
Nevertheless the Arrow Team won and DeMato was “fired” from her non-paying job. At one point The Donald warned her to “shut up” as she tried to defend herself.
In the time since she left the show, she has used her higher profile to advantage as a pro bono speaker for worthy causes such as the Democratic Party, cancer and stem cell research. At 6:30 p.m. March 2 she will speak at the American Diabetes Association Carnivale in Wellington.
“I’m her Number One fan,” declared Stuart Davidson. “It was very exciting to have someone we know on national television. We are all very proud of Marisa, and we think she has a very bright future.”
“The Apprentice” airs at 9 p.m. Sunday on NBC-TV channels.
Published Sunday, February 18, 2007
by By Skip Sheffield
If you’re going to be fired, you might as well do in a grand way.
Marisa DeMato was fired by no less than Donald Trump Jan. 28 on the fourth episode of NBC-TV’s nationally broadcast Sunday night series, “The Apprentice.” DeMato, 28, took the experience calmly and unflinching, with dignity intact.
“The Kinetic team was a great team,” she said recently, relaxing at Sanborn Square in Boca Raton. “We had sales, marketing, entertainment industry and lawyers. We got to stay in a beautiful mansion on Mulholland Drive that had a spectacular view of Los Angeles. I thought I came up with a good idea with the chicken suit, but Heidi shot it down. I think she had a real problem with me. I know I’m a very strong person. I could see it coming.”
“It” is Donald Trump’s stern declaration, “You’re fired!”
Weep not for Marisa DeMato. She already has a good day job as a lawyer at the Boca Raton office of Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins. She has her own Web site (MarisaDeMato.com) and her friend and fellow lawyer Stuart Davidson has created a Marisa DeMato blog on Blogspot.com.
Nicknamed “The Politico” on “The Apprentice,” DeMato makes no bones about having political ambitions.“
I am still in contact with NBC,” she confirms. “And they will be flying me back to California for the finale. Everyone on the show has an agenda. I was thrilled when they nicknamed me `The Politico’ because I do have political aspirations.”
DeMato majored in political science at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, and while an undergraduate she served as an intern for U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler. When she was in law school at the University of Baltimore, she was a legal intern in the office of the attorney general of Maryland.
Like all “Apprentice” contestants, DeMato was selected at a casting call. In her case, it was Tampa in March of last year. When DeMato made the first cut, she returned for a second round in Tampa.
Excitement was mounting in her law office as she made that cut and was invited to fly to California to meet Trump himself.“
For the first time, Donald Trump personally selected each of the candidates,” she revealed. “We didn’t know we were going to meet him. He is very involved in the California production.” So are Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son Donald, Jr.“
I got along very well with Ivanka,” she reported. “I admire Donald Jr. He is very serious and has a strong work ethic, like his dad.”
Despite her rapport with the Trumps, DeMato ran afoul of another alpha female, Kinetic team captain Heidi Androl. Both teams were charged with promoting a new dish at a California chicken restaurant chain called El Pollo Loco. Whichever team made the most money in one day would be declared winner.
DeMato said she wanted to call it the “Bravado Bowl” but was shot down in favor of “Paradise Pollo Bowl.”
Another of DeMato’s ideas was to have someone dress up in a chicken suit as the chain’s mascot to drum up business on the street. Heidi rejected the idea, but DeMato says there is more to it than meets the eye.“
What they didn’t show in the final edit was that the Arrow team used the chicken suit as part of its promotion. If they had showed that, I would have been vindicated.”
Nevertheless the Arrow Team won and DeMato was “fired” from her non-paying job. At one point The Donald warned her to “shut up” as she tried to defend herself.
In the time since she left the show, she has used her higher profile to advantage as a pro bono speaker for worthy causes such as the Democratic Party, cancer and stem cell research. At 6:30 p.m. March 2 she will speak at the American Diabetes Association Carnivale in Wellington.
“I’m her Number One fan,” declared Stuart Davidson. “It was very exciting to have someone we know on national television. We are all very proud of Marisa, and we think she has a very bright future.”
“The Apprentice” airs at 9 p.m. Sunday on NBC-TV channels.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Take This Scoop, Perez Hilton....
So, it turns out that the impetus behind the shaved head was . . . none other than . . . the one and only . . . David J. George! That's right, folks. Yesterday morning, the long-locked, brown-headed Britney Spears, met our esteemed partner, David George, in the elevator at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami, Florida, where Mrs. Federline turned to David and asked . . . get this . . . this is just unbelieveable . . . "How are you this morning?" Mr. George responded with a very witty (that's why he's a lawyer) response, "Fine, and how are you?" Mrs. Federline responded, "Fine, thanks," and that was it for the discussion. For those of you who do not know David, he is one bald mother-f'er (think Charlie Brown, but not as handsome). Then, a few hours later, Mrs. Federline evidently took a plane to California where she did the above to herself. Coincidence that she met Charlie George only a few hours earlier? I think not.
Stuey . . . out!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Belated Episode 5 Recap & Other Stuff
First, for the two of you who actually read this silly blog (Hi Mom & Dad), I apologize for the delay in posting something about Episode 5 -- which sucked, by the way (keep reading for the reasons why). Had to travel -- with Marisa actually -- to a hearing in Tampa, FL on Monday (which we won!), and have been swamped since I got back into town.
Anyway, on to Ep. 5 of the Apprentice: Los Angeles (or, as I call it now that Maris is off the show, "Apprentice: Lost My Interest"):
Given that America has learned, since Marisa's firing, that the show's producers are a bunch of weasals and unscrupulous scumbags, it came as no surprise to me that they showed very little of the prior episode and Marisa's firing. The show just went right into the next task, which was to -- can you believe how crappy the tasks are this year?? -- harvest, bottle and sell Sue Bee Honey. Oh, how exciting for the viewer? I could barely contain myself during the show. I almost fell out of my chair because I was leaning forward with my eyes and mouth wide-open because I could not WAIT to see what happened next! STEP ASIDE "24"!!!! "Lost"? That show has NOTHING on "The Apprentice"....
The Sue Bee Honey task, besides being boring, did not showcase the business talents of any of the candidates. They harvested honey from bees, filled bottles, and spent a day trying to sell the honey in a small grocery store. Whoopie! So, in my opinion, it did not matter which team made more money. But, Kinetic won be a small amount (the teams always BARELY win, but, for some reason, Trump makes it appear as if the losing team got their asses handed to them). Aaron, being the PM for Arrow, was on the hot seat, and brought Nicole and Surya along with him into the boardroom with Trump, Sean (last season's strange winner) and Aimee, who was PM on Kinetic.
Now, here's the truly remarkable part: Trump criticized -- and then fired -- Aaron for not speaking up enough and defending himself enough. Wait! Say that again! Did you just say that Aaron was fired for being too quiet? No, he couldn't have, for that is the exact OPPOSITE reason Trump fired Marisa in Ep. 4. So, what does this say about Trumpie? It says that Trump could care less about the quality of the candidates, but is only interested in characters (aka Frank) and purported sexpots (aka Heidi), and is just stringing the others along to eventually fire them when he can.
So, in conclusion, the show sucks now and I'm rooting for Aimee to win this thing now that Maris is out . . .
Stuey . . . out!
Anyway, on to Ep. 5 of the Apprentice: Los Angeles (or, as I call it now that Maris is off the show, "Apprentice: Lost My Interest"):
Given that America has learned, since Marisa's firing, that the show's producers are a bunch of weasals and unscrupulous scumbags, it came as no surprise to me that they showed very little of the prior episode and Marisa's firing. The show just went right into the next task, which was to -- can you believe how crappy the tasks are this year?? -- harvest, bottle and sell Sue Bee Honey. Oh, how exciting for the viewer? I could barely contain myself during the show. I almost fell out of my chair because I was leaning forward with my eyes and mouth wide-open because I could not WAIT to see what happened next! STEP ASIDE "24"!!!! "Lost"? That show has NOTHING on "The Apprentice"....
The Sue Bee Honey task, besides being boring, did not showcase the business talents of any of the candidates. They harvested honey from bees, filled bottles, and spent a day trying to sell the honey in a small grocery store. Whoopie! So, in my opinion, it did not matter which team made more money. But, Kinetic won be a small amount (the teams always BARELY win, but, for some reason, Trump makes it appear as if the losing team got their asses handed to them). Aaron, being the PM for Arrow, was on the hot seat, and brought Nicole and Surya along with him into the boardroom with Trump, Sean (last season's strange winner) and Aimee, who was PM on Kinetic.
Now, here's the truly remarkable part: Trump criticized -- and then fired -- Aaron for not speaking up enough and defending himself enough. Wait! Say that again! Did you just say that Aaron was fired for being too quiet? No, he couldn't have, for that is the exact OPPOSITE reason Trump fired Marisa in Ep. 4. So, what does this say about Trumpie? It says that Trump could care less about the quality of the candidates, but is only interested in characters (aka Frank) and purported sexpots (aka Heidi), and is just stringing the others along to eventually fire them when he can.
So, in conclusion, the show sucks now and I'm rooting for Aimee to win this thing now that Maris is out . . .
Stuey . . . out!
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Marisa to be Special Guest at American Diabetes Association "Carnivale 2007"
Press Release:
Wellington, FL – February 5, 2007 – Marisa DeMato, a Wellington resident and cast member of The Apprentice Season Six, will join Chairmen Joe and Ashley Maguire as their special guest at the American Diabetes Association Carnivale 2007 – Australian Outback.
DeMato is a lawyer with Lerach Coughlin, a national law firm with offices in Boca Raton and plays a key role in the firm's investment outreach program, regularly meeting with public and private pension funds, retirement systems and other institutional investors to educate them about the firm's proprietary portfolio monitoring program. She has lived in Wellington since she was 13. Her aspirations to run for political office and the sense of a challenge spurred her involvement with The Apprentice.
“It was a very exciting process, from the tryout in Tampa to making it to the final 50 and going to Los Angeles. I don’t think anyone really tries out thinking they’re going to get on the show. It’s a one-in-a-million shot, and when it happens, it’s a great feeling,” she explained.
She continued, “For me, I always like taking up new challenges, and I thought this would be a great way for me to get my name out there. I earned the nickname ‘The Politico,’ and my friends call me the ‘Senator.’ It’s great, short of making it to the end, and I got everything out of it I wanted. It was good practice for me to see just a little bit of what it would be like to step foot in the political arena. If I can use my work to do good things and contribute and give back, then I’m really happy to do that.”
Through her participation with the diabetes benefit, DeMato said she hopes she can bring attention to the issues surrounding the deadly disease that affects more than 20 million Americans. She added that The Apprentice has given her a boost into the public eye, providing a platform for her to raise awareness for diabetes issues and more.
“Marisa has great passion for whatever project that she takes on, so Ashley and I are very grateful for her interest in our cause. It is that passion, along with Marisa’s strong interest in community service, that will help make Carnivale 2007 a huge success,” commented Mr. Maguire.
Also in attendance at Carnivale 2007 will be Bethlene Pancoast, Miss New York 2006, who is serving as National Goodwill Ambassador for the event.
For more information about the American Diabetes Association Carnivale 2007, please contact Martha Lagarde at 1-888-342-2382, extension 3119, or mlagarde@diabetes.org.
The American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Carnivale 2007, Australian Outback, Fast Facts
When: Friday, March 2, 2007, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: The International Polo Club Palm Beach, Wellington, FL
What: The event is held to support and raise financial assistance for the American Diabetes Association, the leading diabetes research organization, advocacy group and informational source for the cure of and prevention of diabetes and its related health problems.
Highlights: The theme of the event is Carnivale, Australian Outback, and is guaranteed to be anything but a “typical charity fundraiser.” As a cocktail-attire event, it will feature a live band, open bar, silent and live auctions and a variety of “Down Under” surprises.
Who: Wellington residents Joe and Ashley Maguire are the event chairs. Mr. Maguire is the president of The Rosen Group Inc., a national real estate development and commercial property management firm based in New York, NY, with regional offices in Boca Raton, FL. Melissa Cohn, president of Manhattan Mortgage Company and avid equestrian, is the honorary chairwoman.
Why: Diabetes affects more than 20 million Americans and almost 21 percent of all Americans over the age of 60. About one-third of the children born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetimes, and the number of Americans with diabetes has increased by 14 percent in the past two years. Government spending for research and education about diabetes has been cut in recent years, and the ADA is the leading voluntary health organization providing research, information and advocacy for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
General Information: Anyone is welcome to attend and sponsorships are still available. For more information or to make a donation, please contact Martha Lagarde at 1-888-342-2382, extension 3119, or mlagarde@diabetes.org.
Wellington, FL – February 5, 2007 – Marisa DeMato, a Wellington resident and cast member of The Apprentice Season Six, will join Chairmen Joe and Ashley Maguire as their special guest at the American Diabetes Association Carnivale 2007 – Australian Outback.
DeMato is a lawyer with Lerach Coughlin, a national law firm with offices in Boca Raton and plays a key role in the firm's investment outreach program, regularly meeting with public and private pension funds, retirement systems and other institutional investors to educate them about the firm's proprietary portfolio monitoring program. She has lived in Wellington since she was 13. Her aspirations to run for political office and the sense of a challenge spurred her involvement with The Apprentice.
“It was a very exciting process, from the tryout in Tampa to making it to the final 50 and going to Los Angeles. I don’t think anyone really tries out thinking they’re going to get on the show. It’s a one-in-a-million shot, and when it happens, it’s a great feeling,” she explained.
She continued, “For me, I always like taking up new challenges, and I thought this would be a great way for me to get my name out there. I earned the nickname ‘The Politico,’ and my friends call me the ‘Senator.’ It’s great, short of making it to the end, and I got everything out of it I wanted. It was good practice for me to see just a little bit of what it would be like to step foot in the political arena. If I can use my work to do good things and contribute and give back, then I’m really happy to do that.”
Through her participation with the diabetes benefit, DeMato said she hopes she can bring attention to the issues surrounding the deadly disease that affects more than 20 million Americans. She added that The Apprentice has given her a boost into the public eye, providing a platform for her to raise awareness for diabetes issues and more.
“Marisa has great passion for whatever project that she takes on, so Ashley and I are very grateful for her interest in our cause. It is that passion, along with Marisa’s strong interest in community service, that will help make Carnivale 2007 a huge success,” commented Mr. Maguire.
Also in attendance at Carnivale 2007 will be Bethlene Pancoast, Miss New York 2006, who is serving as National Goodwill Ambassador for the event.
For more information about the American Diabetes Association Carnivale 2007, please contact Martha Lagarde at 1-888-342-2382, extension 3119, or mlagarde@diabetes.org.
The American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Carnivale 2007, Australian Outback, Fast Facts
When: Friday, March 2, 2007, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: The International Polo Club Palm Beach, Wellington, FL
What: The event is held to support and raise financial assistance for the American Diabetes Association, the leading diabetes research organization, advocacy group and informational source for the cure of and prevention of diabetes and its related health problems.
Highlights: The theme of the event is Carnivale, Australian Outback, and is guaranteed to be anything but a “typical charity fundraiser.” As a cocktail-attire event, it will feature a live band, open bar, silent and live auctions and a variety of “Down Under” surprises.
Who: Wellington residents Joe and Ashley Maguire are the event chairs. Mr. Maguire is the president of The Rosen Group Inc., a national real estate development and commercial property management firm based in New York, NY, with regional offices in Boca Raton, FL. Melissa Cohn, president of Manhattan Mortgage Company and avid equestrian, is the honorary chairwoman.
Why: Diabetes affects more than 20 million Americans and almost 21 percent of all Americans over the age of 60. About one-third of the children born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetimes, and the number of Americans with diabetes has increased by 14 percent in the past two years. Government spending for research and education about diabetes has been cut in recent years, and the ADA is the leading voluntary health organization providing research, information and advocacy for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
General Information: Anyone is welcome to attend and sponsorships are still available. For more information or to make a donation, please contact Martha Lagarde at 1-888-342-2382, extension 3119, or mlagarde@diabetes.org.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Marisa Interviewed By Local NBC Station
WELLINGTON APPRENTICE DISCUSSES BOARDROOM
Reported By: Dori Robau
Photographer: Ron Glenn
They're the words no contestant on "The Apprentice" wants to hear: "You're fired!"
When Marisa DeMato heard them on Sunday's episode, she became the fourth person Donald Trump booted from the boardroom this season.
"The Apprentice was an incredible experience, actually," DeMato said. "Even though most people are thinking:’ ‘Wow- it's hard to get fired on national television,’ it seemed very intense, and it was, but I wouldn't trade it for anything."
She was singled out for standing up to 'The Donald' in the boardroom, but says if she had a second chance, she'd do it exactly the same way.
"I have to say I was proud of the way I fought for myself in the boardroom," she said. "It played out the way I thought it would because I'm a fighter, and I wasn't going to go in there and be targeted."
And Demato, who grew up in Wellington and works as an attorney in Boca Raton, isn't letting the experience get her down.
She's hoping to add another bullet point to her resume soon: politician.
She already has her eye on a seat on Wellington's village council.
"There are a lot of issues facing Wellington and I would love to get involved in local politics- I grew up there so I have a vested issue in what happens in my community."
For now, though, she says she's enjoying her time back home and looking forward to her next set of challenges.
Reported By: Dori Robau
Photographer: Ron Glenn
They're the words no contestant on "The Apprentice" wants to hear: "You're fired!"
When Marisa DeMato heard them on Sunday's episode, she became the fourth person Donald Trump booted from the boardroom this season.
"The Apprentice was an incredible experience, actually," DeMato said. "Even though most people are thinking:’ ‘Wow- it's hard to get fired on national television,’ it seemed very intense, and it was, but I wouldn't trade it for anything."
She was singled out for standing up to 'The Donald' in the boardroom, but says if she had a second chance, she'd do it exactly the same way.
"I have to say I was proud of the way I fought for myself in the boardroom," she said. "It played out the way I thought it would because I'm a fighter, and I wasn't going to go in there and be targeted."
And Demato, who grew up in Wellington and works as an attorney in Boca Raton, isn't letting the experience get her down.
She's hoping to add another bullet point to her resume soon: politician.
She already has her eye on a seat on Wellington's village council.
"There are a lot of issues facing Wellington and I would love to get involved in local politics- I grew up there so I have a vested issue in what happens in my community."
For now, though, she says she's enjoying her time back home and looking forward to her next set of challenges.
TV Guide Interview With Marisa
Friday, February 2, 2007
Fired Chicken: The Apprentice's Marisa Cries Fowl!
by Matt Webb Mitovich
How El Pollo Loco can you go? Ousted from NBC's The Apprentice last week for failing to drum up sales of a less-than-super "bowl" product for the regional fast foodery, Marisa DeMato argues that she was, in fact, targeted for elimination by "Her Highness," Heidi. The day after the 28-year-old attorney's exit, TVGuide.com invited Marisa to talk, um, chicken.
TVGuide.com: I feel like one drawback of this season's "penthouse versus the outhouse" setup is that we didn't really get to know you folks over on Kinetic. Did you feel that way, seeing the coverage?
Marisa DeMato: I totally agree. I felt like you really didn't get to see a lot of the team, because they focus so much more this season on the losing team. And in the third week, with the exemption [from the task], our team was basically nonexistent.
TVGuide.com: So when you then show up in Week 4, all we're left with is this painting of you as a person crazy for people in chicken suits, and who perhaps talks too much in the boardroom.
Marisa: Starting back in Week 2, I was getting a little more face time than most, because I was vocal about not really being that thrilled with the [twist where] one person could essentially continue to be project manager [for weeks on end].
TVGuide.com: Was that you? I quoted you when I raised my own objection to that rule change with Donald Trump. I told him it keeps the other team members from having a proper chance to shine.
Marisa: It does, and I still feel that way. As you said before, no one's really gotten to know what a great team Kinetic was, and Kinetic was a great team. Some people right now may be thinking, "Oh, she didn't get along with her group," but nothing could be further from the truth. There really wasn't any dissention in our group whatsoever, aside from Heidi and I occasionally having professional differences over designs or concepts. I was very close with Muna and Aimee and Derek.... You wouldn't necessarily know it by watching, but my boardroom [outcome] was more about taking out the strong player — at least as far as Heidi was concerned. Regarding the chicken suit, I can sit back and say, "Wow, people are going to think I'm really adamant about that" and not know where it's coming from, but had they seen what led up to that point — which was our team learning that Arrow did in fact use a chicken suit as part of their marketing — America would have understood why I felt so passionate about the issue. At that point in the boardroom, I felt they were doing a good job trying to spread the blame around, and that was my chance to say, "I'm not to blame for this loss."
TVGuide.com: Yeah, I thought you might squeak out of this one, but then I saw there was only, like, a minute left in the hour....
Marisa: There are examples where you just drop the ball and make mistakes, and you're the reason the team fails, and you can kind of accept that. If that had been the case for me, I would definitely own up to it. But it was just the opposite. I put myself out there and pushed to do my best job.
TVGuide.com: Is there anything you would do differently back in the boardroom?
Marisa: I would not have been as worried to say I would fire Heidi as project manager. I felt like, because she and I hadn't seen eye-to-eye, it would have looked like it was some sort of personal animus, but it wasn't. For some reason Trump has really taken a liking to her, so he's not getting the full picture, and I felt like it would have been an uphill battle.
TVGuide.com: What is Kinetic's greatest liability moving forward?
Marisa: The groupthink. The fact that no one, expect for me, has stood up and taken risks and made decisions for the team. Heidi is not making decisions; there is no way to spin it any other way. She's good at shooting ideas down, but she doesn't contribute.
TVGuide.com: Do you think Heidi has too much momentum going for her to get fired any time soon?
Marisa: I don't know. To be honest, even though it was portrayed as "Everybody agreed with Heidi," if you really look at last night's episode, you will notice that Derek refers to her as "Her Highness." That wasn't exactly an indication that he was so thrilled with always having to run things by her. The other thing is that every time you saw her rolling her eyes and making faces when I would try to suggest something new, the rest of the team was quiet. They didn't say, "Oh, we hate Marisa.... She talks too much." They were very silent.
TVGuide.com: Now just how dirty did Arrow leave the camp?
Marisa: It was pretty filthy, I have to say. I had never seen anything like that before. It looked like things had been sitting in pots and pans for days.... It was pretty gruesome.
TVGuide.com: You must have been like, "At least I only had to spend a day there."
Marisa: Oh, I know! One day and one night, that was all I needed in Tent City. I got off easy!
TVGuide.com: And what about this whole on-set romance thing? They promo'd the hell out of it the week before....
Marisa: And then it wasn't even on the episode!
TVGuide.com: It's Tim and Nicole, right?
Marisa: Um, I'm not sure that I can confirm anything, but... it's interesting, regardless, based on the things they were showing last night. It was surprising to us. I mean, I'm just surprised that anybody could spark any sort of interest, the way that they were living outside there!
Fired Chicken: The Apprentice's Marisa Cries Fowl!
by Matt Webb Mitovich
How El Pollo Loco can you go? Ousted from NBC's The Apprentice last week for failing to drum up sales of a less-than-super "bowl" product for the regional fast foodery, Marisa DeMato argues that she was, in fact, targeted for elimination by "Her Highness," Heidi. The day after the 28-year-old attorney's exit, TVGuide.com invited Marisa to talk, um, chicken.
TVGuide.com: I feel like one drawback of this season's "penthouse versus the outhouse" setup is that we didn't really get to know you folks over on Kinetic. Did you feel that way, seeing the coverage?
Marisa DeMato: I totally agree. I felt like you really didn't get to see a lot of the team, because they focus so much more this season on the losing team. And in the third week, with the exemption [from the task], our team was basically nonexistent.
TVGuide.com: So when you then show up in Week 4, all we're left with is this painting of you as a person crazy for people in chicken suits, and who perhaps talks too much in the boardroom.
Marisa: Starting back in Week 2, I was getting a little more face time than most, because I was vocal about not really being that thrilled with the [twist where] one person could essentially continue to be project manager [for weeks on end].
TVGuide.com: Was that you? I quoted you when I raised my own objection to that rule change with Donald Trump. I told him it keeps the other team members from having a proper chance to shine.
Marisa: It does, and I still feel that way. As you said before, no one's really gotten to know what a great team Kinetic was, and Kinetic was a great team. Some people right now may be thinking, "Oh, she didn't get along with her group," but nothing could be further from the truth. There really wasn't any dissention in our group whatsoever, aside from Heidi and I occasionally having professional differences over designs or concepts. I was very close with Muna and Aimee and Derek.... You wouldn't necessarily know it by watching, but my boardroom [outcome] was more about taking out the strong player — at least as far as Heidi was concerned. Regarding the chicken suit, I can sit back and say, "Wow, people are going to think I'm really adamant about that" and not know where it's coming from, but had they seen what led up to that point — which was our team learning that Arrow did in fact use a chicken suit as part of their marketing — America would have understood why I felt so passionate about the issue. At that point in the boardroom, I felt they were doing a good job trying to spread the blame around, and that was my chance to say, "I'm not to blame for this loss."
TVGuide.com: Yeah, I thought you might squeak out of this one, but then I saw there was only, like, a minute left in the hour....
Marisa: There are examples where you just drop the ball and make mistakes, and you're the reason the team fails, and you can kind of accept that. If that had been the case for me, I would definitely own up to it. But it was just the opposite. I put myself out there and pushed to do my best job.
TVGuide.com: Is there anything you would do differently back in the boardroom?
Marisa: I would not have been as worried to say I would fire Heidi as project manager. I felt like, because she and I hadn't seen eye-to-eye, it would have looked like it was some sort of personal animus, but it wasn't. For some reason Trump has really taken a liking to her, so he's not getting the full picture, and I felt like it would have been an uphill battle.
TVGuide.com: What is Kinetic's greatest liability moving forward?
Marisa: The groupthink. The fact that no one, expect for me, has stood up and taken risks and made decisions for the team. Heidi is not making decisions; there is no way to spin it any other way. She's good at shooting ideas down, but she doesn't contribute.
TVGuide.com: Do you think Heidi has too much momentum going for her to get fired any time soon?
Marisa: I don't know. To be honest, even though it was portrayed as "Everybody agreed with Heidi," if you really look at last night's episode, you will notice that Derek refers to her as "Her Highness." That wasn't exactly an indication that he was so thrilled with always having to run things by her. The other thing is that every time you saw her rolling her eyes and making faces when I would try to suggest something new, the rest of the team was quiet. They didn't say, "Oh, we hate Marisa.... She talks too much." They were very silent.
TVGuide.com: Now just how dirty did Arrow leave the camp?
Marisa: It was pretty filthy, I have to say. I had never seen anything like that before. It looked like things had been sitting in pots and pans for days.... It was pretty gruesome.
TVGuide.com: You must have been like, "At least I only had to spend a day there."
Marisa: Oh, I know! One day and one night, that was all I needed in Tent City. I got off easy!
TVGuide.com: And what about this whole on-set romance thing? They promo'd the hell out of it the week before....
Marisa: And then it wasn't even on the episode!
TVGuide.com: It's Tim and Nicole, right?
Marisa: Um, I'm not sure that I can confirm anything, but... it's interesting, regardless, based on the things they were showing last night. It was surprising to us. I mean, I'm just surprised that anybody could spark any sort of interest, the way that they were living outside there!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Palm Beach Post Q&A With Marisa
Despite writing a blog yesterday that can only be described as mean spirited and ignorant, Palm Beach Post television writer Kevin D. Thompson's relatively nice Q&A with Marisa yesterday appeared on the front page of the Accent section of today's Post. It is reproduced here:
Q&A with Marisa of 'Apprentice'
By Kevin D. Thompson
Palm Beach Post Television Writer
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
You're fired!
Two words no one on The Apprentice wants to hear.
Unfortunately Marisa DeMato, the class-action attorney from Wellington, got that dreaded pink slip from Donald Trump on the NBC show Sunday. She also got labeled as derisive by her teammates and was even to told to "shut up" by The Donald.
But the 28-year-old DeMato, who works for the Boca Raton law firm of Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins, didn't go down quietly. And she was equally candid during our brief chat in which she discussed everything from her dismissed chicken suit idea to why NBC played a major role in her firing.
Question: Why did you want to go on The Apprentice?
Answer: To be honest with you, I was always really a big fan of The Apprentice and watched every season. I was watching it one night and Trump came on and he was pitching the next season and I thought, "I might as well give it a shot." I like a challenge.
Q: What was the experience like?
A: The experience was great. Since my ultimate goal is to run for political office, I felt like it was really good training for me to get ready. You have to learn disappointment and to learn to pick yourself up after something doesn't necessarily go your way.
Q: Your ultimate goal is to run for political office...
A: (interrupts): Yes, my nickname was The Politico. Everyone on the show called me The Senator. That's ultimately what I want to do. That's always been my goal since I was very young.
Q: What was your strategy going into the show?
A: I actually had a great strategy. I came in having done a lot of research on the companies, on demographics on socio-economics, everything I thought would be useful to me and my team in doing tasks in the Los Angeles area. I also came in with a really great winning project manager strategy. I felt the tasks were won and lost because the project manager didn't know his or her teammates well enough. For example, I am really creative. I am really great at organizing. I am really great at public speaking. I am not good with numbers — you would not want to use me as an accountant. I used myself as an example. I felt like this was key for our team to win. Heidi did implement the project manager strategy and she also took credit for it, which started the process of me seeing her for what she is.
Q: What is she?
A: Someone who is clearly not trustworthy.Heidi started to see me as a threat.... She knew that I had good, winning ideas and she knew that I was vocal about them (and) that I wasn't going to fly under the radar and just continue to agree and shake my head at everything she said.
Q: Looking back at your brief time on the show, would you do anything differently?
A: I wouldn't do anything differently because I feel like I was on the show as I am in life. I'm very straightforward. If I have something to say, I say it to everyone. Every week I put my neck on the line when other people just sat there very silent. And it would've been very easy to probably conduct myself that way, but it wouldn't have been me. It seemed like I was really overzealous about the chicken suit... but what America didn't get a chance to see was that team Arrow did use the official Pollo Loco chicken suit and they won. And NBC conveniently left that out. I was not the person who should've been fired.
Q: So team Arrow had people dressed up as chickens? (Both teams had to sell a new chicken dish by the fast-food chain Pollo Loco.)
A: They had one person dressed up in a chicken costume as part of their marketing strategy.
Q: And NBC left that out? Why do you think they did that?
A: Because they couldn't justify my firing. Because most of America doesn't agree that I should've been the person who was fired on Sunday and if they had shown team Arrow with (a person in a) chicken costume standing on the corner with the sign as I had suggested..., it would've been virtually impossible for them to justify my firing.
Q: Tell me why you thought dressing two people up in chicken suits would've made the difference in the Pollo Loco task.
A: We had four or five hours to really cause a stir around this drive-thru and around this restaurant to sell this bowl. Let's face it, it's very hard to miss a chicken standing in the middle of an intersection.
Q: What rubbed some people the wrong way was how you described your idea as "grandiose" and "original." Talk about that a little bit.
A: In the grand scheme of things, we've all seen chickens on the side of the road, but in the context of what my group put out for marketing, my ideas were much more original and were much bigger than what Heidi made us go with.
Q: Getting fired is hard enough. But to get fired on national television must be really tough. Plus, you were the first person fired from your team. How did you handle that?
A: It was the first time I was fired in anything in life. I tried to take it as well as I possibly could. I tried to tell myself that it was a learning experience. I'm so proud of the fact that I was coming up with ideas, I was working hard for the team and I fought for myself. That was a very, very difficult boardroom. I was fighting off eight people who needed to see themselves in that boardroom and were using me as a scapegoat. And I also had to deal with Donald Trump, who is a difficult, powerful person.
Q: You had a memorable boardroom session in which Trump had to tell you to "shut up" and take it easy. Why were you interrupting him so much?
A: In the context of him telling me to shut up, he said "shut up, I'm actually trying to defend you." What he was trying to say, "You're fighting, take it easy." He recognized that I was fighting for my life.
Q: But the point was he was trying to defend you and you still kept talking and he was annoyed with that.
A: If I was the reason the team had lost, maybe I wouldn't have felt that sense of desperation to really fight so hard for myself to save myself. But I knew I was being unfairly targeted in the boardroom. So you feel more compelled to get your side of the story out and if that resulted in me interrupting people in the boardroom, well, it was more of a survival of the fittest.
Q: No one on your team seemed like they wanted to work with you. They called you abrasive and disruptive and someone who focuses on the stupid little things. Why do you think they felt that way?
A: I think for the most part, that was inaccurate and based on editing. I was not abrasive. I was not difficult to work with. I helped take the team to a win on task two with the pink bathing suit. I got along very well with the group and there was never any real dissension.
Q: What did you learn about yourself?
A: I learned that I am much stronger than I thought I was and I knew that I was a pretty strong person going into the process. The fact that I faced my teammates, I faced the boardroom, I faced a firing that was unfair and I really think that says a lot. It was good practice and good training for me to eventually run for office because I think the political arena is probably 10 times more vicious....
Q&A with Marisa of 'Apprentice'
By Kevin D. Thompson
Palm Beach Post Television Writer
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
You're fired!
Two words no one on The Apprentice wants to hear.
Unfortunately Marisa DeMato, the class-action attorney from Wellington, got that dreaded pink slip from Donald Trump on the NBC show Sunday. She also got labeled as derisive by her teammates and was even to told to "shut up" by The Donald.
But the 28-year-old DeMato, who works for the Boca Raton law firm of Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins, didn't go down quietly. And she was equally candid during our brief chat in which she discussed everything from her dismissed chicken suit idea to why NBC played a major role in her firing.
Question: Why did you want to go on The Apprentice?
Answer: To be honest with you, I was always really a big fan of The Apprentice and watched every season. I was watching it one night and Trump came on and he was pitching the next season and I thought, "I might as well give it a shot." I like a challenge.
Q: What was the experience like?
A: The experience was great. Since my ultimate goal is to run for political office, I felt like it was really good training for me to get ready. You have to learn disappointment and to learn to pick yourself up after something doesn't necessarily go your way.
Q: Your ultimate goal is to run for political office...
A: (interrupts): Yes, my nickname was The Politico. Everyone on the show called me The Senator. That's ultimately what I want to do. That's always been my goal since I was very young.
Q: What was your strategy going into the show?
A: I actually had a great strategy. I came in having done a lot of research on the companies, on demographics on socio-economics, everything I thought would be useful to me and my team in doing tasks in the Los Angeles area. I also came in with a really great winning project manager strategy. I felt the tasks were won and lost because the project manager didn't know his or her teammates well enough. For example, I am really creative. I am really great at organizing. I am really great at public speaking. I am not good with numbers — you would not want to use me as an accountant. I used myself as an example. I felt like this was key for our team to win. Heidi did implement the project manager strategy and she also took credit for it, which started the process of me seeing her for what she is.
Q: What is she?
A: Someone who is clearly not trustworthy.Heidi started to see me as a threat.... She knew that I had good, winning ideas and she knew that I was vocal about them (and) that I wasn't going to fly under the radar and just continue to agree and shake my head at everything she said.
Q: Looking back at your brief time on the show, would you do anything differently?
A: I wouldn't do anything differently because I feel like I was on the show as I am in life. I'm very straightforward. If I have something to say, I say it to everyone. Every week I put my neck on the line when other people just sat there very silent. And it would've been very easy to probably conduct myself that way, but it wouldn't have been me. It seemed like I was really overzealous about the chicken suit... but what America didn't get a chance to see was that team Arrow did use the official Pollo Loco chicken suit and they won. And NBC conveniently left that out. I was not the person who should've been fired.
Q: So team Arrow had people dressed up as chickens? (Both teams had to sell a new chicken dish by the fast-food chain Pollo Loco.)
A: They had one person dressed up in a chicken costume as part of their marketing strategy.
Q: And NBC left that out? Why do you think they did that?
A: Because they couldn't justify my firing. Because most of America doesn't agree that I should've been the person who was fired on Sunday and if they had shown team Arrow with (a person in a) chicken costume standing on the corner with the sign as I had suggested..., it would've been virtually impossible for them to justify my firing.
Q: Tell me why you thought dressing two people up in chicken suits would've made the difference in the Pollo Loco task.
A: We had four or five hours to really cause a stir around this drive-thru and around this restaurant to sell this bowl. Let's face it, it's very hard to miss a chicken standing in the middle of an intersection.
Q: What rubbed some people the wrong way was how you described your idea as "grandiose" and "original." Talk about that a little bit.
A: In the grand scheme of things, we've all seen chickens on the side of the road, but in the context of what my group put out for marketing, my ideas were much more original and were much bigger than what Heidi made us go with.
Q: Getting fired is hard enough. But to get fired on national television must be really tough. Plus, you were the first person fired from your team. How did you handle that?
A: It was the first time I was fired in anything in life. I tried to take it as well as I possibly could. I tried to tell myself that it was a learning experience. I'm so proud of the fact that I was coming up with ideas, I was working hard for the team and I fought for myself. That was a very, very difficult boardroom. I was fighting off eight people who needed to see themselves in that boardroom and were using me as a scapegoat. And I also had to deal with Donald Trump, who is a difficult, powerful person.
Q: You had a memorable boardroom session in which Trump had to tell you to "shut up" and take it easy. Why were you interrupting him so much?
A: In the context of him telling me to shut up, he said "shut up, I'm actually trying to defend you." What he was trying to say, "You're fighting, take it easy." He recognized that I was fighting for my life.
Q: But the point was he was trying to defend you and you still kept talking and he was annoyed with that.
A: If I was the reason the team had lost, maybe I wouldn't have felt that sense of desperation to really fight so hard for myself to save myself. But I knew I was being unfairly targeted in the boardroom. So you feel more compelled to get your side of the story out and if that resulted in me interrupting people in the boardroom, well, it was more of a survival of the fittest.
Q: No one on your team seemed like they wanted to work with you. They called you abrasive and disruptive and someone who focuses on the stupid little things. Why do you think they felt that way?
A: I think for the most part, that was inaccurate and based on editing. I was not abrasive. I was not difficult to work with. I helped take the team to a win on task two with the pink bathing suit. I got along very well with the group and there was never any real dissension.
Q: What did you learn about yourself?
A: I learned that I am much stronger than I thought I was and I knew that I was a pretty strong person going into the process. The fact that I faced my teammates, I faced the boardroom, I faced a firing that was unfair and I really think that says a lot. It was good practice and good training for me to eventually run for office because I think the political arena is probably 10 times more vicious....
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
What NBC Did NOT Show You....
What can I say about the producers and editors of The Apprentice? How about, "How dare you?" You see, we have just learned -- courtesy of Marisa's interview on 570 KLAC this morning -- that Arrow Corp. HAD A FRIGGIN CHICKEN SUIT IN THEIR MARKETING CAMPAIGN AND USED IT TO GREAT SUCCESS!
Now, why would the producers not disclose this information? It's obvious to anyone with half a brain -- they wanted to try and make Marisa look like shit! Well, the joke is on them because, as the messages boards show, America is 99% behind Marisa and thought she kicked ass in the boardroom.
For shame, NBC, for shame.
Now, why would the producers not disclose this information? It's obvious to anyone with half a brain -- they wanted to try and make Marisa look like shit! Well, the joke is on them because, as the messages boards show, America is 99% behind Marisa and thought she kicked ass in the boardroom.
For shame, NBC, for shame.
Filed Under: You've Got To Be Kidding Me.... (Episode 4 Recap)
Where to begin? Well, how about the fact that Marisa was fired last night on the show, but for no justifiable reason. Trump simply based his decision on the fact that the rest of Kinetic wanted Marisa out, which does not say much for Trump's ability to make his own independent decisions, does it? Simply put, the rest of Kinetic ganged up on Marisa (with Derek and Heidi as the ringleaders), and Trump just followed their lead.
So, how did Marisa and the rest of her team really do in Week 4? Here are my thoughts:
1. Marisa's chicken suit idea was gold and made perfect sense. The only possible reason Heidi decided to nix it was because she did not want to be overshadowed by Marisa. Heidi remains a very insecure, backstabbing, coniving little girl and deserves to be fired forthwith.
2. I actually liked the name "Paradise Pollo Bowl" better than the "Bravada Bowl," but I doubt the name would have made any difference. I also liked the ingredients in the Paradise Pollo Bowl and would have bought it myself.
3. Derek is a slimebag (at least he was on the show last night). He played BOTH sides of his team. The show started with Derek telling Marisa that she will be lucky to get her marketing ideas "passed her heiness" (i.e., passed Heidi). Then, when Kinetic loses, Derek blames Marisa for the loss and says she is the weakest link. No class, Derek.
4. The boardroom was extremely intense, to say the least. I was nervous the entire hour, but those last 15-20 minutes were brutal to watch as Marisa's friend. Yet, what came across from the boardroom was that: (a) Marisa spoke very well; (b) Marisa was fighting for her life with Trump, which is why she kept interrupting (you don't just sit quietly when you're being attacked, folks); (c) Marisa was absolutely right when she said that the rest of her team conspired to get her fired; and (d) MARISA SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT HEIDI, NOT AIMEE, SHOULD BE FIRED. Heidi shot down all of Marisa's marketing ideas, so if marketing was the reason they lost, Heidi, not Marisa, was responsible.
In conclusion, everyone in America is rooting for Marisa, and they are 100% correct! Just go check out NBC's Apprentice message boards - http://boards.nbc.com/nbc/index.php?showforum=6. I am so proud of the way Marisa handled herself in the boardroom and on the show, and know without a doubt that Marisa is going very far - perhaps to the U.S. Senate.
So, how did Marisa and the rest of her team really do in Week 4? Here are my thoughts:
1. Marisa's chicken suit idea was gold and made perfect sense. The only possible reason Heidi decided to nix it was because she did not want to be overshadowed by Marisa. Heidi remains a very insecure, backstabbing, coniving little girl and deserves to be fired forthwith.
2. I actually liked the name "Paradise Pollo Bowl" better than the "Bravada Bowl," but I doubt the name would have made any difference. I also liked the ingredients in the Paradise Pollo Bowl and would have bought it myself.
3. Derek is a slimebag (at least he was on the show last night). He played BOTH sides of his team. The show started with Derek telling Marisa that she will be lucky to get her marketing ideas "passed her heiness" (i.e., passed Heidi). Then, when Kinetic loses, Derek blames Marisa for the loss and says she is the weakest link. No class, Derek.
4. The boardroom was extremely intense, to say the least. I was nervous the entire hour, but those last 15-20 minutes were brutal to watch as Marisa's friend. Yet, what came across from the boardroom was that: (a) Marisa spoke very well; (b) Marisa was fighting for her life with Trump, which is why she kept interrupting (you don't just sit quietly when you're being attacked, folks); (c) Marisa was absolutely right when she said that the rest of her team conspired to get her fired; and (d) MARISA SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT HEIDI, NOT AIMEE, SHOULD BE FIRED. Heidi shot down all of Marisa's marketing ideas, so if marketing was the reason they lost, Heidi, not Marisa, was responsible.
In conclusion, everyone in America is rooting for Marisa, and they are 100% correct! Just go check out NBC's Apprentice message boards - http://boards.nbc.com/nbc/index.php?showforum=6. I am so proud of the way Marisa handled herself in the boardroom and on the show, and know without a doubt that Marisa is going very far - perhaps to the U.S. Senate.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Go See Marisa - Social Miami @ The Sagamore
Thursday, January 25 from 6 to 9 pm
Beach Party Clam and Lobster Bake -- Social Miami @ the Sagamore
1671 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
1671 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
305-571-5090
Overtime Goes Social with a unique social networking event for all of Miami's young professionals at Social Miami @ the Sagamore, one of the hottest spots in Miami Beach. Come in shorts and sandals and meet Season 6 Apprentice Marisa DeMato, straight from the Mansion in LA. Open Bar from 7 to 8:30 - $25; Clam and Lobster Bake - $39; or Open Bar and Clam and Lobster Bake - $55. Hosted by Overtime Sports Club.
Monday, January 22, 2007
From Palm Beach Post Blog
The Apprentice: Wellingon Girl Watch -- Week 3
Nothing new to report on Marisa, I'm afraid. Our local Wellington gal, after all, was only on screen for about 20 seconds last night on The Apprentice: Los Angeles. Since Kinetic was exempt from the Hollywood tour challenge, the only task Marisa was required to perform was to look relaxed while lounging around the pool and asking her teammates things like, "How are the mojitos?"
I'll be glad when Heidi's team loses so Marisa can step up as project manager. You know she can't wait. You can almost see the daggers flying out of her eyes whenever she looks at Heidi. I don't know Marisa well, but she strikes me as someone who isn't comfortable standing in someone's shadow.
Enough about Marisa, people. The big news was wimpy Michelle up and quitting in the boardroom. Real punk move by the wishy-washy real estate consultant considering she was about to get fired. The Donald, of course, wasn't too pleased. He called Michelle a "quitter" and a "loser" and looked at her as if she was the president of The Rosie O'Donnell Fan Club.
Michelle needed to go. Her teammates hated her. She was too indecisive and was arguably the most inarticulate project manager in Apprentice history. What was Michelle's strategy as PM? Well, to hear her tell it, she wanted to "operate this task as a consensus, you know, teammanship in a consensus."
Huh? Come again?
Is teammanship even a word? I think not. Sounds like Michelle and Paul Abdul took the same How To Sound Really Stupid On TV course.
I'm not mad at Michelle for resigning. As she said, living in a tent was more than what she bargained for. She didn't need the job that bad. I'm just upset at the way she quit. Instead of dropping that bombshell in the boardroom, Michelle should've talked to her teammates earlier and told them how she was feeling instead of sandbagging them.
And, I'm sorry, but jumping before you're about to get pushed is called being a coward. I suppose Michelle wanted to go out on her own terms, to tell The Donald to take his job in-terrrrr-view and shove it so she could feel better about herself.
But to call up that nerve right before you're about to get canned is lame.
Posted by Kevin Thompson at January 22, 2007 12:02 PM
Nothing new to report on Marisa, I'm afraid. Our local Wellington gal, after all, was only on screen for about 20 seconds last night on The Apprentice: Los Angeles. Since Kinetic was exempt from the Hollywood tour challenge, the only task Marisa was required to perform was to look relaxed while lounging around the pool and asking her teammates things like, "How are the mojitos?"
I'll be glad when Heidi's team loses so Marisa can step up as project manager. You know she can't wait. You can almost see the daggers flying out of her eyes whenever she looks at Heidi. I don't know Marisa well, but she strikes me as someone who isn't comfortable standing in someone's shadow.
Enough about Marisa, people. The big news was wimpy Michelle up and quitting in the boardroom. Real punk move by the wishy-washy real estate consultant considering she was about to get fired. The Donald, of course, wasn't too pleased. He called Michelle a "quitter" and a "loser" and looked at her as if she was the president of The Rosie O'Donnell Fan Club.
Michelle needed to go. Her teammates hated her. She was too indecisive and was arguably the most inarticulate project manager in Apprentice history. What was Michelle's strategy as PM? Well, to hear her tell it, she wanted to "operate this task as a consensus, you know, teammanship in a consensus."
Huh? Come again?
Is teammanship even a word? I think not. Sounds like Michelle and Paul Abdul took the same How To Sound Really Stupid On TV course.
I'm not mad at Michelle for resigning. As she said, living in a tent was more than what she bargained for. She didn't need the job that bad. I'm just upset at the way she quit. Instead of dropping that bombshell in the boardroom, Michelle should've talked to her teammates earlier and told them how she was feeling instead of sandbagging them.
And, I'm sorry, but jumping before you're about to get pushed is called being a coward. I suppose Michelle wanted to go out on her own terms, to tell The Donald to take his job in-terrrrr-view and shove it so she could feel better about herself.
But to call up that nerve right before you're about to get canned is lame.
Posted by Kevin Thompson at January 22, 2007 12:02 PM
Episode 3 Recap....
This was the first episode which I was not able to watch with Marisa, so it wasn't as exciting as the previous episodes. At least I was able to switch back-and-forth between "The Apprentice" and the awesome Patriots/Colts playoff game, though. Great game. Sorry, DJG.
Now, some thoughts on the show:
1. I used to think James was the one to beat (besides Marisa, of course). After last night's episode, he came across as just annoying. He may be bright (see, e.g., www.zoodango.com), but he needs to tone it down considerably if he wants a chance to win. He's bright enough and has enough energy to make it very far - he just needs to make sure that people (i.e., Trump) don't get turned off by his ADHD.
2. I can't tell you how pissed off I was that they kept showing Heidi, rather than the other Kinetic team members, when they were lounging around at Lowes. Come on, Burnett. Give some of the other contestants a chance to win over America. And, god forbid that the producers actually show Heidi in a bad light. Every shot was of her "looking good." Poor Kristine keeps getting the "morning without makeup" shots. Haven't seen one such shot of dear ol' Heidi.
3. As for the task - not much to really say. Pretty boring stuff.
4. As for Michelle - I, for one, was very proud of her. She showed poise and the ability to make tough decisions to maintain her self respect, rather than let Trump (i.e., NBC) dictate how she should live her life. My two cents is that Trump was just dead wrong when he told Michelle that she would regret her decision. I would bet that Michelle is kicking ass in the business world right now.
5. Finally, next week looks like a good one. Who does Trump say "shut up" to? Who does everyone on the team want to see axed? Who hooks up? We'll just have to wait and see.
Peace out everyone.
Now, some thoughts on the show:
1. I used to think James was the one to beat (besides Marisa, of course). After last night's episode, he came across as just annoying. He may be bright (see, e.g., www.zoodango.com), but he needs to tone it down considerably if he wants a chance to win. He's bright enough and has enough energy to make it very far - he just needs to make sure that people (i.e., Trump) don't get turned off by his ADHD.
2. I can't tell you how pissed off I was that they kept showing Heidi, rather than the other Kinetic team members, when they were lounging around at Lowes. Come on, Burnett. Give some of the other contestants a chance to win over America. And, god forbid that the producers actually show Heidi in a bad light. Every shot was of her "looking good." Poor Kristine keeps getting the "morning without makeup" shots. Haven't seen one such shot of dear ol' Heidi.
3. As for the task - not much to really say. Pretty boring stuff.
4. As for Michelle - I, for one, was very proud of her. She showed poise and the ability to make tough decisions to maintain her self respect, rather than let Trump (i.e., NBC) dictate how she should live her life. My two cents is that Trump was just dead wrong when he told Michelle that she would regret her decision. I would bet that Michelle is kicking ass in the business world right now.
5. Finally, next week looks like a good one. Who does Trump say "shut up" to? Who does everyone on the team want to see axed? Who hooks up? We'll just have to wait and see.
Peace out everyone.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Finally, Recognition of Marisa's Brilliance....
This is wild. Remember the swim suit that Marisa designed for Episode 2, and which Heidi criticized? Well, it has been replicated by someone and that replica is being worn on the cover of this month's "FITNESS MAGAZINE"! Pretty cool.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Great Post From Palm Beach Post Entertainment Reporter
The Apprentice: Wellingon Girl Watch -- Week 2
OK, dudes and dudettes, what did I learn about Marisa on Sunday's installment of The Apprenctice: Los Angeles?
She's not afraid to speak her mind. That's probably why she's an attorney. Good career choice, Marisa.
Not only did our local Wellington resident disagree with Heidi over the look of one boring bikini, Marisa said exactly how I feel about the stupid new wrinkle that allows winning project managers to remain PM until their team loses.
While that new rule works well for the winning PMs, it also, as Marisa correctly pointed out, prohibits other players from standing out and getting all-important camera time. If Heidi's team keeps rolling (and that's a distinct possibility since Frank From The Bronx is on the other team), don't be surprised if there's some coup d'etat talk about throwing a challenge for the sake of finding a new leader.
And since Marisa has been the most vocal so far, she may be the one leading the overthrow.
Do it! Viva La Marisa! I'm always lookin for juicy blog topics.
P.S.
That silly "gay swimsuit" controversy made me ill and was probably the lowest moment in the show's history.
P.S. II
The Donald's feet are soooooooooo pale. I mean, sickly pale.
Posted by Kevin Thompson at January 16, 2007 01:13 PM
OK, dudes and dudettes, what did I learn about Marisa on Sunday's installment of The Apprenctice: Los Angeles?
She's not afraid to speak her mind. That's probably why she's an attorney. Good career choice, Marisa.
Not only did our local Wellington resident disagree with Heidi over the look of one boring bikini, Marisa said exactly how I feel about the stupid new wrinkle that allows winning project managers to remain PM until their team loses.
While that new rule works well for the winning PMs, it also, as Marisa correctly pointed out, prohibits other players from standing out and getting all-important camera time. If Heidi's team keeps rolling (and that's a distinct possibility since Frank From The Bronx is on the other team), don't be surprised if there's some coup d'etat talk about throwing a challenge for the sake of finding a new leader.
And since Marisa has been the most vocal so far, she may be the one leading the overthrow.
Do it! Viva La Marisa! I'm always lookin for juicy blog topics.
P.S.
That silly "gay swimsuit" controversy made me ill and was probably the lowest moment in the show's history.
P.S. II
The Donald's feet are soooooooooo pale. I mean, sickly pale.
Posted by Kevin Thompson at January 16, 2007 01:13 PM
Monday, January 15, 2007
Thoughts on Episode 2....
First, I had tons of fun at DJG's house last night for the Episode 2 party. Everyone seemed to have a great time. Food was awesome, too. Good call with the sushi, D & D!!!!
Now, on to Episode 2 (deep) thoughts:
1. Great to see Maris get lots of face time. It was particularly awesome watching her clash with Princess Heidi, who has this "I have already won this thing" attitude that drives me crazy.
2. Cary deserved to be fired. What a schmuck thinking that buyers would be interested in that "men's" suit (and I use the word "men's" very loosely). What it showed was the Cary's way of thinking is colored by his sexual orientation, which is obviously not good in the professional world.
3. Heidi needs to shut up in the boardroom. I repeat -- she acts as if she's already won this thing. I have a feeling that she'll get hers in the coming weeks.
4. Seemed to be less commericals than last week. In the words of Martha Stewart, "It's a good thing."
5. I hate the fact that project managers stay on if their team wins. Dumb idea, Mr. T.
6. Still like the "tents" idea.
Anywho, I'm not sure how Ep. 3 is going to be since Marisa's team doesn't even have to compete in it. Either way, it'll still be fun to watch.
Now, on to Episode 2 (deep) thoughts:
1. Great to see Maris get lots of face time. It was particularly awesome watching her clash with Princess Heidi, who has this "I have already won this thing" attitude that drives me crazy.
2. Cary deserved to be fired. What a schmuck thinking that buyers would be interested in that "men's" suit (and I use the word "men's" very loosely). What it showed was the Cary's way of thinking is colored by his sexual orientation, which is obviously not good in the professional world.
3. Heidi needs to shut up in the boardroom. I repeat -- she acts as if she's already won this thing. I have a feeling that she'll get hers in the coming weeks.
4. Seemed to be less commericals than last week. In the words of Martha Stewart, "It's a good thing."
5. I hate the fact that project managers stay on if their team wins. Dumb idea, Mr. T.
6. Still like the "tents" idea.
Anywho, I'm not sure how Ep. 3 is going to be since Marisa's team doesn't even have to compete in it. Either way, it'll still be fun to watch.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Monday, January 8, 2007
Thoughts on Season Premier...and Marisa
Ok, putting aside the fact that there were WAY WAY WAY too many commercials during the show (which could have been 30 minutes shorter), it was definitely an entertaining 90 minutes. I especially enjoyed seeing how great Marisa looked on the show. She is by far the best looking person of all of the candidates.
As for the other candidates, a few thoughts:
1. Frank deserved to be fired - way too annoying.
2. Martin is a dweeb, and I had no problems with him being axed.
3. Heidi's team won because her team worked well together - not because she's some exceptional leader. She also spoke way too much in the board room. She had no right to criticize the other team, who she only beat by $100 or so. I'm already souring on Heidi, who appears to be very conceited.
4. Losers sleeping in tents is a great idea. Loved how Marisa and her team were able to listen in on their fighting on the other side of the hedges.
Looking forward to Ep 2 next Sunday.
As for the other candidates, a few thoughts:
1. Frank deserved to be fired - way too annoying.
2. Martin is a dweeb, and I had no problems with him being axed.
3. Heidi's team won because her team worked well together - not because she's some exceptional leader. She also spoke way too much in the board room. She had no right to criticize the other team, who she only beat by $100 or so. I'm already souring on Heidi, who appears to be very conceited.
4. Losers sleeping in tents is a great idea. Loved how Marisa and her team were able to listen in on their fighting on the other side of the hedges.
Looking forward to Ep 2 next Sunday.
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